Multiplex telegraph



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MULTIPLEX TELEGRAPH. I No. 428,222. Patented May 20, 1890'.

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F. J. PATT-EN. MULTIPLEX TELEGRAPH. I No. 428,222. Patented May 20, 1890.

Station Y in FRANCIS JARVIS PA UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

lTEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO J. M. SEYMOUR,

()F BRICK CHURCH, NEW JERSEY.

MULTIPLEX TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,222, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed January 10, 1890. Serial No. 336,577- (IIo model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS JARVIS PAT- TEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiplex Telegraphic Systems, of which the following is a specification. Theinvention described and claimed in this application is an elaboration and special form of other systems patented to me, and relates more particularly to the general system of circuits used by which with a single line-wire I maintain distant machines in synchronism, and at the same time, without interfering with this function, I cont-rive to send multiplex telegraphic signals over the same line with the same current used for synchronizing, and, as distinctly asserted, without interrupting its continued operation as a synchronizingcurrent.

The drawings show the general system of circuits complete for two terminal stations, one complete set of sending and receiving apparatus being shown at each end in operation.

Figure 1 shows one end of the line and station X at that end. Fig. 2 shows an intermediate point in the line-circuit at which a single main-line battery is placed and a revolving pole-changer for rapidly reversing this battery with respect to the line M L. Fig. 3 shows in detail the other extremity of the line, or the station Y, Y being represented as sending to X through the single set of instruments shown in operation. Fig. 4: represents in detail the circuits and means of driving the motors at X and Y, to the spindles of which are secured the revolving trailer-arms that sweep over the segmental distributers at the two stations.

As the system of connecting and driving these motors is distinctly different from any shown in the former applications and constitutes an important modification of all these systems, this also will be made a feature of this application and will be first described. I will first point out, however, what of the essential parts necessarily shown in this application have been shown and claimed in former applications and what has not, so as to clearly separate that which has been embodied in' to the line by means of a revolving polechanger P C, Fig. 2, driven by an independent electric motor placed at some intermediate point in the main-line circuit, is shown further in detail and claimed in a pending application, bearing Serial No. 336,576, filed of even date herewith; nor is the arrangement of relays and local circuits claimed here, as this subject-matter is also claimed in the above-named application. The system of sending and receiving instruments shown at the stations X and Y is also shown and explained in detail and claimed in the same application now pending.

The vibrator system. at V V Fig. 4, by

which the heavy motor M M is caused to be driven by the delicate action of the polarized relay P or P in the main-line circuit, is also shown and claimed in the same applicatlon;

but as the system of connections by which the vibrator drives the motor is quite different in this application the complete system of circuits from polarized relay P P, Fig. 4, to the motor M M is shown in detail for a better explanation of that which it is desired to claim.

The construction and arrangement of the circuits in the motor shown in Fig. 4 do not constitute a part of the present invention, and need not be described in detail here to any further extent than to indicate that it is an alternating-current motor, in which the field-magnets M are permanently magnetized by a local battery F B, while the armature, which is of the ring type, is provided with circuit-connections, as clearly shown, which cause it to change the magnetic condition of the successive bobbins in accordance with the polarity of the current from the armatureenergizing battery 0%, as the armature of the vibrator V V successively reverses the direction of the current of this battery through the brushes B B as will be fully understood on inspection of the drawings.

As regards the segmental distributers and the revolving trailing-arms and their connections to the local instruments, there is but one special feature necessary in the system as shown in this application, which is this: Between each segment or set of segments connected to local instruments there is always a blank segment which is not connected to anything, and which might be described as an insuletting-segment, though, as Will be seen later, it is only so with reference to the receiving and sendinginstruments.

The new features relate, first, to the motorconnections shown in Fig. 4, by which the synchronism is maintained by the periodic reversals of current in a single circuit of the motor only, precisely as shown in the simpler form of machine and system of circuits at station Z, Fig. 1, Patent No. 392,967, of November 13, 1888, but applied here to a different system of internal motor-circuits.

The second feature to be shown and claimed in this application is the system of connections and methods whereby, without a difference of current-tension or different currents of any kind, and by the mere reversal of a single main-line battery, independent synchronism and telegraphic communication are maintained with the same current on a single line between two or more stations Without any interference of the two operations with each other.

These special features will now be explained in detail: One refers evidently to the driving mechanism of the synchronizing-mm The other is a; result of the general system of circuits and tors at the different stations.

connections between stations, and constitutes a novel system of circuits by itself.

First, with regard to the motor, and referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the fieldmagnets NS NS of the machine are excited by a single closed circuit connected to the poles of the single field-battery or source F B. Thus the field is constantly energized and never changes polarity, precisely as at Z, Fig. 1, of PatentNo. 392,967, formerly referred oscillate to and fro as the currents were reversed. The peculiar connections used, however, change all this, for it will be seen on examination that the reverse connections of the armature going first, three direct to their corresponding commutator segments and the next three to the segments diametrically opposite, have the effect of maintaining the polarity of the ring constant at n and s, with currents that are rapidly reversed. as those supplied from the battery m through the vibrating armature of the vibrator V V; but evidently with the armature connections shown, three direct and three reversed, then three more direct and three more reversed, the ring, in order to maintain its polarity constant with the reversed currents, as explained, must turn precisely through a quarter-revolution during each change of current, and doing this it becomes a sort of direct-current motor on an alternating-current source, and the motion becomes uniform and regular with a single controlled circuit, (the armaturecircuit,) which is the point it is desired to bring out clearly, as in another pending application above referred to, in which the motorcircuits were shown almost the same as in the present instance, the synchronism was maintained by a system of circuits that required the simultaneous orcoincident change of both the armature and the field circuits. I desire to show that that method is not essential, and the one here shown forms a special feature of this application.

Passing now to the novel features of system connections it is desired to claim in this application, the three figures 1, 2, an d 3 should be placed in the order named from left to right, so that the main line M L H L is continuous from station X on the left to station Y on the right, and at each station X and Y the trailer-arms Tr and Tr should be considered in synchronous rotation sweeping over the distributer-surfaces uniformly and touching like-numbered segments at the two stations at the same instant of time. These trailers being secured'to and carried by motors like that shown in Fig. 4 and maintained in continuous motion by the vibrations of the polarized relays P at X and P at Y, which are connected to the driving-motors, as shown in Fig. 4, the armatures of these polarized relays are maintainedin constant and uniform vibration by constant reversals of a mainline current. This is effected at some intermediate point, generally, as that shown at Fig. 2, where an ordinary revolving polechanger P O, driven by any constant-speed device, constantly reverses the main-line battery M 13 with respect to the main line, so that the main line ML is alternately and rapidly charged with reversed currents alternately, and and of the same duration. No special explanation need be given here how this current operates as a synchronizingcurrent, except as to how it can be used simultaneously as a telegraph or communicat- ITO . are termed the synchronizing-relays. and they are maintained in constant vibration by the reversals of line-current, which, emanat-' ing from the pole-changer P C at Fig. 2, [iroeeeds to the extremities of the line at stations X and Y. At a point h beyond the synchronizing-relay P at X the line divides into two branches, one T going direct to earth at E through the high resistance R71 of about ten thousand ohms, the other branch N, leaving the main line at the point 72-, COHDGOIS to the trailer-arm Tr, and through it and the seg ments of the distributer to earthat E throu gh the particular set of. receiving and sending instruments for the time being placed in communication by the revolving trailer-arm.

IVe thus see that there is a constant path for the main-line current to earth at E through the branch T and an intermittent lower resistance-path to earth at E through the branch N, distribtiter-segment, communicating instruments, 850. At station Y the connections of line to earth are precisely similar, a constant highresistance shunt T to earth at E through the similar rheostat Rh and likewise an intermittent low-resistance path N through the distributer-segment and communicating-instru1nents at Y to earth at E. p

The purpose of leaving blank or disconnected segments in the distributers will now be understood, for when the trailers are resting 011 these segments, while there are for the time being no communicating instruments in circuit,the line has still one direct earth-connection at each end through the high-resistance shunts T and T so that if all the keys of all the instruments at both ends should be opened the line current would still flow through these high-resistance shunts to earth, and so maintain the synchronizing-relays in action. If, on the other hand, one or all of the keys at both ends are closed, then a larger part of the current flows through the low-resistance path to earth at E and E actuating the communicating instruments, however still, without disturbing the action of the synchronizing-relays, inasmuch as it matters not which path to earth is taken, (and there is always one,) the current has first to pass through the synchronizing-relays.

The receiving apparatus need not be described here. It is sufficient to say that the receiving-relays R12 and Br are neutral, an d are therefore affected alike by positive or negative currents.

The foregoing describes the method and system of circuits by means of which asingle synchronizing-current is used on a single-line circuit for both purposes at the same time namely, synchronizing and ordinary telegraphy-withouteither operation disturbing the effects of the other.

I donot limit myself to the specific arrangement of parts and apparatus herein shown and described, as it is obvious that many modifications might be substituted for various parts of my invention and still come within the terms of the claims which follow.

An obvious modification of one element of my apparatus would be the substitution of an alternating-current generator in place of the main-line battery and pole-changer located between the station-distributers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a main line joining two or more multiplex distributers, an electrical generator located direetlyin the main line and between two distributers, in combination with means for rapidly reversing the direction of the currents generated, and electrical connections at the distributers for causing said currents to synchronize the distributers and feed the several signaling-circuits, substantially as described.

2. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, two or more distributers, a main line, a generator of electricity located directly in the main line between two distributers and adapted to give rapidly-recurring alternating currents of electricity, in combination with electrical connections at the distributers, whereby said currents are caused to synchronize the distributers and supply the signaling-circuits, substantially as described.

3. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, the combination of two distributers connected to a common main line, including a generator of electricity located directly in said main line between two distributers and adapted to give alternate currents of electricity, with electrical connections at each distributer for causing said currents to synchronize the distributers and supply the signaling-instrumcnts, substantially as described.

4. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a single main line including in its circuit two or more m ultiplex distributers and an a1ternating-current generator located directly in the main line between two distributers, with electrical connections at the distributers for synchronizing them, and for supplying the signaling-instruments with the necessary signaling-currents from the aforesaid generator, substantially as described.

5. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, two or more distributers driven by electrical motors, in combination. with a single alternate-current generator located directly in a main line between the distributers,

and eleetro-magnctic relays at each station, said m agnctic relays bein gprovided withlocalcircuit connections for synchronizing the distributers, and the distributers having also local-circuit connections with multiplex signalin g and receiving apparatus, substantially as described.

6. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a distributer driven by an electric motor having its field permanently magnetized, in combination with a split battery electrically connected at its middle to one of the armatlire-brushes, and at its ends through a vibrating relay-arn'lature to the other armature-brush,With a main-line relay havinglocalcircuit connections for controlling the vibration of the aforesaid armature, and a single source of alternating currents located in the main line, substantially as described.

7. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a main line including in its eircuit two or more multiplex distributors, an alternating-current generator located between two distributers, and two or more synchronizing-relays, in combination with local-circuit connections between the synchronizing-relays and the distributers, whereby the currents generated synchronize the distributers and supply the signaling-instruments to multiplex apparatus, substantially as described. 8. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a distributer connected through its trailer directly to the main line, in combi nation with a shunt around the distributer to earth, the alternate segments of the distributer being insulated from each other, and the segments including the signaling apparatus, whereby the incoming currents are caused first to actuate the synchronizing apparatus, and then to supply the signaling and receiv' ing instruments, substantially as described.

9. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a distributer having its trailer connected directly to the main line, in combination with a shunt from the main line around the distributer to earth, the operative segments of the distributer being connected through local signaling and receiving apparatus to earth, and spaced by intervening insulated segments, whereby part of the incoming currents are utilized for synchronizing purposes and the remainder for signaling, substantially as described.

10. In a system of synchronous multiplex telegraphy, a distributer having its trailer connected directly to the main line, which includes a synchronizing-relay, in combination with a shunt from the main line to earth around the distributer and an electric motor for driving the trailer, said relay being provided with local-circuit connections through the motor for synchronizing the trailer, and the distributer having its alternate segments connected to earth through independent signaling and receiving apparatus, the intervening or alternating segments being insulated, whereby incoming currents from an outlying electrical generator are caused to actuate the synchronizing and signaling apparatus successively, substantially as described.

11. In a synchronous multiplex telegraph, a distributer located in a branch between the main line and the earth,.in combination with a shunt around the distributer to earth, and a synchronizingrelay located directly in the main line, whereby all incoming currents pass directly through said relay before passing to either branch, substantially as described.

FRANCIS JARVIS PATTEN.

'Witnesses:

C. J. KINTNER, A. V. IIINsEY. 

